Our Propane System
DISCLAIMER:
Keep in mind that this information is only intended for study/reference. You should be making all decisions and calculations for your project based on your specific needs. Also, I am not a professional, so don't just take my word for it. Do your own research and use common sense. There’s tons of good (and bad) information out there, so use your best judgement when deciding what’s going to work best for your specific situation. If in doubt, there is nothing wrong with consulting a professional. This is not rocket science, but a system that is designed/installed improperly could potentially lead to a dangerous situation.
Although some folks are wary to use propane in such a confined space, adhering to the necessary safety precautions when installing and while operating your system and using the proper equipment will provide an excellent fuel system for your project that can feel confident and safe using. We have found propane to be a very efficient fuel source for our home, and we would definitely recommend it to other van owners.
Propane Tank
We use a standard 20lb propane tank in our system. It is the same tank that is used for most standard barbecue grills, and is easy to exchange for a full tank once we run out. Although easily found at gas stations, we get a better deal at Home Depot. It’s usually around $50 for a new full tank, and about $20 to exchange. This keeps us from having to find an authorized gas distributor to fill up an RV tank each time we run out. We house our propane tank in a sealed propane locker box under our bench seat. This box is vented through a 3/4”i.d. opening(which is required by marine regulations) through the bottom of the box and out the underside of the van. Propane is heavier than air and will easily find its way out of the box through the vent, keeping any fumes from entering the living space. We added a mesh screen to the vent tube to keep any particles or critters from entering the box.
System Components
Regulator
An essential part of our propane system is the two stage regulator. Camco's Horizontal Two Stage Propane Regulator has integral first and second stages that ensure smoother, more consistent flow of gas at a constant 11 W.C. pressure(common with most RV appliances) with temperature changes and as the tank pressure declines. We went with the horizontal mounting regulator to better fit in our propane locker sitting just on top of the bottle.
Solenoid
Our cooktop, heater and water heater all run on propane. For safety and convenience, we have installed a solenoid to control the flow of propane coming from our tank. The solenoid is a closed valve that attaches directly to the propane line coming from the tank, just before the regulator. When the solenoid is energized, the valve is opened allowing the gas to flow through the closed system leading to our appliances. This allows us to leave the manual valve on the propane tank open and control the flow with the push of a button. In the event of a power failure, short, or other catastrophic event, the solenoid will de-energize and safely close the valve. We would definitely recommend installing one of these as an important safety feature in your system.
tubing and fittings
We used flexible copper tubing in our system. It’s resistant to sharp edges and vibration in the van and doesn’t deteriorate over time. We mostly used 3/8”o.d. tubing with 3/8” brass flared fittings throughout the system with the exception of 1/4” for our Propex heater. For safety, we installed a valve at each split to our appliances. We also made sure to check for leaks at each connection prior to running the system.
Gas Detector
This was probably the most important purchase of our propane system. This unit will sound an alarm if it detects the presence of carbon monoxide which can be fatal, or propane gas which is extremely combustible. This is our first line of defense against deadly fumes entering and accumulating in our living space. Even if you don’t run propane in your build, it is extremely important to monitor the inside of your vehicle for the presence of deadly carbon monoxide gas that is generated from the exhaust fumes from your engine.
Appliances
Cooktop
We decided on the stainless steel drop-in cooktop from Dometic for our kitchen. We also purchased a black tempered glass cover for the top of it, but we decided not to use it for now. We really like the look of it on its own. We also didn’t really need the extra counter space that it would have created because we have a pretty open plan already. We cook a lot, and we have found this stove to be perfect for our needs. It’s two burner setup puts off plenty of heat and allows us to cook with two pans at once. This particular model was made with a cast iron grate which looks nice, and is sturdy and pretty easy to clean. The electric igniter is connected to our 12v system, so firing it up is super easy. We originally wanted to put in an oven/stove combo, but decided to keep it simple with the cooktop alone. It saves on space and we have heard that cooking with and maintaining an oven can be a pain in a camper.
Heater
Many people run gas heaters(i.e. Webasto, Espar) that tap into the vehicles fuel tank to operate, which sounds really convenient. We have read that they tend to have issues with elevation change, however there are ways to control this with computer programming. The most convenient installation area is under the passenger seat. We decided to go a different route altogether. We found the Propex HS2000 to be the perfect heat solution for us. Given that we already wanted to run propane in our van, we found this to be a great option. It’s very fuel efficient, can be mounted almost anywhere in the van, and has no issues with elevation. We decided to mount it underneath our cabinet directly on the van floor. The combustion intake and exhaust run outside the van separate from the ventilation ducting inside keeping any fumes from entering our living space. We have the heat blowing at the floor level using a splitter towards the front and back of the van under the toe-kick of our cabinet. The air intake supplies cooler air from the inside of our bench seats. The heater runs on a simple thermostat to keep our van from getting too cold, especially from freezing if we are in a cold climate which would be detrimental to all of our systems.
Water Heater
We first thought that adding a water heater to our system was maybe a bit overkill, but after weighing the pros and cons, we decided to go for it. We thought since we like to cook a lot, it would be helpful to wash dishes with hot water to help cut through grease. It’s also great to be able to use warm water to wash your hands and face. What has also been really nice is having hot water out to the shower. It feels great to rinse off in cold weather, and it makes Tonkins much more comfortable when it comes time to wash him down. The tankless design heats water on-demand. You do have to run the water for a few seconds before it starts to run hot. While maybe not quite as fast as coming from a hot water storage tank, it’s quicker than waiting for hot water in a residential setting. The unit sits up against the van wall and is vented through a 4inch hole. The system comes equipped with a safety switch that turns the unit off if does not fire within 2 or 3 seconds, preventing an saturation of propane. The remote switch can turn the unit on and off, as well as reset that lockout feature.